


Aspirations

by GabeTheArchTrickster



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:01:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28281351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GabeTheArchTrickster/pseuds/GabeTheArchTrickster
Summary: Zoros eyes suddenly opened, as the smell of smoke hit his nose. Peering over the edge of the crows nest, he saw a head of blonde hair on the deck of the ship. Sanji was leaning against Merrys railing, staring at the sea lost in thought. A lit cigarette was hanging from his fingers over the water, forgotten about. That was never a good sign.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 4
Kudos: 120





	Aspirations

**Author's Note:**

> First one piece fic. If yall like it then I'll do more maybe. Comment any spelling errors and I'll fix them as it is currently 1 am and I am currently in my feels, too emotional to reread.

The Going Merry rarely stopped moving. Much like her captain, she was always ready for the next adventure. However, when only a certain moss head was left awake, even she knew to rest for a while or risk veering off course. 

It was a clear night, and Zoro was half asleep on watch. After Luffys bounty had increased, the number of marine assaults against the strawhats had gone way up. Everyone on the crew was exhausted, as the marine ships that day had been seemingly endless with their barrage of attacks. Zoro, Luffy, and Sanji dealt with the majority of the close range fights, both on and off of the Merry while the rest of the crew had their hands full with trying to out maneuver an oncoming storm. 

Zoros eyes suddenly opened, as the smell of smoke hit his nose. Peering over the edge of the crows nest, he saw a head of blonde hair on the deck of the ship. Sanji was leaning against Merrys railing, staring at the sea lost in thought. A lit cigarette was hanging from his fingers over the water, forgotten about. That was never a good sign. 

Zoro waited for a bit, hoping the cook would finish his smoke and head back to bed, but ash met the filter and Sanji didnt move an inch. Zoro climbed down and started to approach him, but Sanji didnt acknowledge his presence. Zoro leaned on the railing next to the cook and finally took his eyes off of Sanji, following where the cook seemed to be looking. There was nothing but the blue expanse of the grand line, stretching for as long as the eye could see. 

They stood in silence for what could have been hours, but was more likely a few minutes. Regardless, it was longer than they usually maintained peace in each others company. Zoro cleared his throat. "I'm on watch tonight. You should head back to bed."

Sanji startled slightly, as though he hadn't noticed the swordsmans presence. He turned his gaze towards Zoro briefly, before returning it to the sea. "By the snores I heard earlier, I doubt you were watching anything."

Zoro was fairly certain sanji was lying about hearing him snore, but decided that the fight that would ensue from arguing with him would probably wake the rest of the crew. Plus, it would destroy the strange calm that had settled between them like a rift into a moment that would never end, yet wouldn't exist tomorrow.

"Yeah, whatever." He said instead. Quiet settled over them once more, and the only sound was of the sea against the side of the ship. Zoro snuck a quick look over at Sanji, and had to do a double take. His hands were shaking.

"Hey, cook-"

"Why a swordsman?" Sanji asked abruptly, preventing Zoro from finishing his thought.

"Huh?" Was the eloquent response the green haired man could muster on short notice.

"I asked, you dull marimo, why a swordsman? You have that much spirit to dedicate to something, and you chose sharp steel? Why?"

Zoro paused for a moment, debating how much he wanted to share and how much would make sense outside of his own logic. Finally, he settled on, "Because a dojo took me in when no one else would. Because swordsmanship gave me control of something. And because I promised I would."

Sanjis curled brow furrowed seemingly unsatisfied with that answer, yet he remained silent. The quiet returned, but this time the ease of peace was gone, even Merry groaned seeming to sense the tension.

Trying to bring back the pleasant atmosphere, Zoro returned the question. "Why a cook?"

Sanji froze. His posture tensed and his breathing became heavier. He suddenly seemed to be somewhere else, somewhere far away yet entrapped in his own mind. His hands came up and gripped his head, tugging on his hair every few seconds as though trying to pull something off.

Zoro was about to revoke his question, or change the subject entirely, anything to stop sanji from doing what he currently was when there was a very quiet, "......I don't know."

The swordsman was taken aback. He didnt know much about Sanjis history but this seemed like a subject that should make the cook happy, not induce whatever the hell that was.

Sanjis grip continued to tighten on his hair, to the point where it looked painful to even Zoro. The cook was mumbling incoherently, and Zoro frantically tried to think of something that could help. 

He blurted "What about the All Blue? That's your dream, right?"

Sanjis hands relaxed from his hair and Zoro let out a sigh of relief, except,

"Its a fool's dream."

That was not the reaction the swordsman was expecting from the blonde, not by a long shot.

"Honestly, a sea where every fish and creature lives together? It isn't possible. I dont know why I think I can achieve anything, especially something so, so childish." He whispered, each word seeming to catch in his throat.

The world was quiet. Merry had silenced the waves and Zoro couldn't even hear his own heartbeat over the words just spoken.

Zoro was furious. "Are you joking right now?" He yelled, uncaring of his sleeping nakama. Sanji nearly jumped out of his skin, and his visible eye widened and quickly shot over to Zoro.

The cook had the audacity to say such things? Well, if it was a pissed off swordsman that Sanji wanted, it's what he got.

"Our captain is made of rubber. Our doctor is a reindeer. I use three swords and we are in the grand line. All Blue exists, and you are going to be the one to find it." Zoro stepped up to the cook and got right in his face, while Sanji stood frozen. 

"Do you know why you will find it? Because you are the most stubborn, intelligent, innovative, and caring person I will ever meet. I can guarantee that the All Blue exists because I can see it in your eyes, and in your hands." Zoros voice got quieter as his rant continued.  
"It exists with every sea we cross that you cook in, with every recipe and ingredient you gather and provide for people with. You will find the All Blue sea but until then, you are our All Blue." By this point his voice was almost a whisper and his eyes haven't left Sanjis.  
"We all have our dreams, cook. And we all have our doubts. That's why we have each other."

The silence that followed was no longer empty, nor was it uncomfortable. It was filled with something akin to potential. The waves continued to lap at the side of Merry once again, and the trance was broken.

Sanjis face was bright red, but his hands were no longer shaking.

"Go to sleep cook. You never know what tomorrow brings."

Zoro turned away and started to head back towards the crows nest, before a hand on his shoulder spun him around, and a mouth on his held him in place. Sanjis eyes were screwed shut, above still bright red cheeks, and Zoro couldn't bring himself to close his eyes.

Sanji pulled away, and for a brief moment Zoro could see both of his eyes. "Good night marimo. Dont fall asleep on watch again."

Sanji then booked it to the men's quarters, leaving behind a now very awake swordsman.

This night seemed like it couldn't last into tomorrow, but Zoro hoped it would.


End file.
